s. That's all
we know about it."

The three girls exchanged glances. That sounded as if it might indeed be
Mr. Holmes who was coming. But before any more questions could be asked,
there was a sudden peal of girlish laughter from above and a wild rush
down from the bluff.

"Dolly Ransom! Isn't this a surprise? And didn't we tell you we had a
surprise for you?"

"Why, Marcia Bates!" cried Dolly and Bessie, in one breath, as the
newcomer reached them. "I didn't know you were going to leave Lake Dean
so soon."

"Well, we did! And we're all here--Gladys Cooper, and all the Halsted
Camp Girls!"

CHAPTER IV

ONE FRIEND LESS

In a moment the rest of the Halsted girls had reached the beach and were
gathered about Bessie and Dolly. There was a lot of laughter and
excitement, but it was plain that the girls who had once so utterly
despised the members of the Camp Fire were now heartily and
enthusiastically glad to see them. And suddenly Eleanor gave a glad cry.

"Why, Mary Turner!" she said. "Whatever are you doing here? I thought
you were going to Europe!"

"I was, until this cousin of mine"--she playfully tapped Marcia on the
shoulder--"made me change my plans. I'll have you to understand that
you're not the only girl who can be a Camp Fire Guardian, Eleanor
Mercer!"

"Well," gasped Eleanor, "of all things! Do you mean that you've
organized a new Camp Fire?"

"We certainly have--the Halsted Camp Fire, if you please! We're not
really all in yet, but we've got permission now from the National
Council, and the girls are to get their rings to-night at our first
ceremonial camp fire. Won't you girls come over and help us?"

"I should say we would!" said Eleanor. "Why, this is fine, Mary! Tell me
how it happened, won't you?"

"It's all your fault--you must know that. The girls have told me all
about the horrid way they acted at Lake Dean, but really, you can't
blame them so much, can you, Nell? It's the way they're brought up--and,
well, you went to the school, too, just as I did!"

"I know what you mean," said Eleanor. "It's a fine school, but--"

"That's it exactly--that _but_. The school has got into bad ways,
and these girls were in a fair way to be snobs. Well, Marcia and some of
the others got to thinking things over, and they decided that if the
Camp Fire had done so much for Dolly Ransom and a lot of your girls, it
would be a good thing for them, too."

"They're perfectly right, Mary. Oh, I'm eve